Family pleads for info as police identify body found on bank of Red River

A spokesperson for the family of April Carpenter holds a missing persons poster loved ones created during their search for the missing woman, while speaking to media at the Manitoba Legislature on Thursday, May 17, 2018. Carpenter, 23, was found deceased in the Red River after being reported missing weeks earlier, her family says. Her loved ones are now calling on anyone with information on the days leading up to her death to come forward.
JOYANNE PURSAGA/Winnipeg Sun

A family is pleading with Winnipeggers to provide information about what happened to their loved one in the final weeks of her life.

A group of relatives, friends and supporters identified April Carpenter, 23, as the woman whose body was found in the Red River on Wednesday. On Thursday, they called on anyone who may have seen the young woman since April 26 to report that information to police.

Loved ones said the young woman was last seen around 8 p.m. on that date in the area of Health Sciences Centre and was reported missing on April 27.

“The family, mom and sister, believe in their hearts that something happened between 8 p.m. on April 26 and whenever she ended up in the river. We don’t believe that it was April’s choice to be in the river,” said Billy Dubery, a spokesperson for the family. “And we’re asking the public to be aware of this and we’re pleading with anybody who might have any information on what happened in between the time April was last seen and when she ended up in the river to please come forward with any information.”

Dubery described April as a “beautiful young girl” with “a lot of love in her heart.”

“She was a young woman with a lot of hope, she had goals, she had visions, she had dreams. This is very sad for everybody,” he said.

April Carpenter, 23, whose body was found on the bank of the Red River on Wednesday. Police handout.

April’s mother, Carolyn Carpenter, said her daughter was working to finish high school.

“She loved children. She wanted to be a social worker. She was working to finish her education to become a social worker,” said Carolyn.

Dubery said family and friends are convinced something prevented April from reaching out to her family, noting she was typically in constant contact with her mom and sister.

“It was very unlike her to be gone,” he said.

The group noted family and community members searched for April for weeks but found no clues of her whereabouts before police called to confirm her body had been found.

Winnipeg Police say Carpenter’s body was found around 12 p.m. Wednesday near the banks of the Red River at the 600 block of Kildonan Drive.

“The cause of death is unconfirmed and an autopsy is pending,” a police press release notes. “The investigation is continuing.”

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